Man, I love Apfelwein
- Thread starter EdWort
- Start date
Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:
Semo
Well-Known Member
Im sure its in the 600+ pages but only read first 150...I'll get to the end eventually but figured someone knew and could post....Didn't get an answer on either post, so I tossed in an extra packet of yeast since I had six gallons of juice...hopefully overkill is better than under..
Still..surely somebody knows about carbing with bottles...Is it safe without cooling?
This stuff better be good after 600+ pages of people raving about it...Hoot..
Hermit
fuddle
It's a big "gotcha" thread. After a year you will be in on the 'joke' and be baiting the noobs. :rockin:
Ed says to prime just like beer. After reading all 605 pages, I do not recall any warnings about conditioning at higher temperatures. As far as how it tastes, mine is still aging, 4.5 months, yes I need to get it bottled.
If you want to bottle and carbonate, ¾ cup of corn sugar will work fine. Use as you would carbonate a batch of beer.
Revvy says to bottle condition at 70 degrees, post # 8. Later in this thread is a discussion on why you want at least the seventy degrees.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f35/bottling-tips-homebrewer-94812/
Post # 229
Post # 230
cheesecake
Well-Known Member
Tried it out of the bottling bucket this stuff was terrible but after being in the bottle for a week it gets better.....i have 2 cases aging so hopefully it gets even better with time
We made a batch of apfelwein early in December using some unfiltered locally-pressed apple juice (which was delicious even pre-yeast), and pitched two packs of Montrachet for some reason. We used a 5-gal glass carboy filled to near the top, and ended up with a lot of foaming and blowoff. I had to switch airlocks because the first one was so badly contaminated with krauesen.
It came out fine (and I was able to rescue the poor nasty airlock), but unfiltered juice *can* krauesen.
It came out fine (and I was able to rescue the poor nasty airlock), but unfiltered juice *can* krauesen.
greeneyed
Well-Known Member
Would it be ok to make 2 1/2 gallons of this in a 5g carboy? If so, should I botle and bottle condition for the bulk of conditioning?
somecallmetex
Well-Known Member
I believe I read earlier that the only problem with not using the whole carboy is that you are wasting half a carboy that could be being used to make apfelwein. Someone else will need to tell you about conditioning, my first just started bubbling last night.
Semo
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the reply guys..Much appreciated.
Also, these "rhino" farts are for real. I am quite shocked at the smell. I mixed it on Friday and Sunday morning, I could smell it quite strongly...
Its in a closet in a room and its strong smelling outside of that room. Hard to imagine drinking it with such a smell. I know its part of the process..but its bad..
Also, these "rhino" farts are for real. I am quite shocked at the smell. I mixed it on Friday and Sunday morning, I could smell it quite strongly...
Its in a closet in a room and its strong smelling outside of that room. Hard to imagine drinking it with such a smell. I know its part of the process..but its bad..
Duckfoot
Well-Known Member
It does smell as if it came from the lower bowels of Hell at first, but after sufficient time aging, it is a truly delicious beverage...
BEWARE OF IT though... It ain't beer... Treat it accordingly....
Good luck!
BEWARE OF IT though... It ain't beer... Treat it accordingly....
Good luck!
somecallmetex
Well-Known Member
My carboy is releasing tons of cider scented gas, I'm expecting it to turn bad by tomorrow though.
Duckfoot
Well-Known Member
Maybe not THAT soon, but you will know for sure when it hits....
somecallmetex
Well-Known Member
I take that back... the sulfur is just starting. Was hoping I had one more night before it started, oh well.
Duckfoot
Well-Known Member
Wow.... Quicker than I recall.... Then again, I have been sick as a dog all week and just finally had a chance to drink some beer.... 3 Happy Endings, two Lienenkugel Nut Browns and a few homebrews later, I couldn't recall where my car keys are at the moment...
MrPeaches
Member
It's been a bit over 24 hours since I made my first batch of apfelwein.....startin to get some apple gas in the blow off water.
But I'm really excited.
But I'm really excited.
shadowmage36
Well-Known Member
So I took a sample bottle of my first batch of this stuff to my LHBS to let the owner and his wife try it. I'd told him that I was going to be testing the recipe and he seemed very interested, so I brought in a sample. This was on the 16th, so that means it would have been going for just under 2 months (started the batch 11/20). Everyone who tried a sample (went through a whole 16oz EZ cap for about 6 people) thought it was excellent.
Ed, you're the man. This stuff is now in permanent rotation by demand of all of my roommates, SWMBO, and most of my friends who've tried it.
I've unleashed a monster!
Ed, you're the man. This stuff is now in permanent rotation by demand of all of my roommates, SWMBO, and most of my friends who've tried it.
I've unleashed a monster!
Grasslands
Well-Known Member
I noticed that you brewed a couple batches (via your vids on youtube) of Ed's apfelwein.
In particular what'd you think of the original recipe vs. the one you used with brown sugar and the raspberry/apple juice mixer?
I ask because I did a similar batch for my first edition of apfelwein...she's been fermenting for 10 days now and still going strong (however, down from 1.050 to 1.021 in 5 days).
I liked the first one a lot, but the second one turned out a touch sweeter with more of a spice flavor (I put three cinnomon sticks in for the last week.) The raspberry didn't show through at all, but I only used a half gallon. Maybe with a full gallon of raspberry it will be closer. I am currently doing one with 1.5 gallons of pomogranite and 1.5 lbs of brown sugar, no cinnomon. I will report back how it turns out. Thanks for watching my videos.
Grasslands
Well-Known Member
somecallmetex
Well-Known Member
Anyone happen to know if the color of the bottle you use for appfelwein makes a difference? (I obviously plan on storing it in the dark, though I could see it being drunk outdoors)
Nope. Hops and UV are the evil exposure. But, all things tasty should be in a shady, darkened area. Any bottle should do.
somecallmetex
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I found some cobalt blue bottles that I thought would be cool to bottle my apfelwein in, but I would hate to use bottles that would have ruined it.
I just started drinking my 9 month old Apfelwein (didn't use corn sugar in this batch) and I must say it smells pretty foul but the taste is starting to grow on me a bit (first glass). I mixed with 1/3 sprite for starters but for this batch at least I think I need to use less sprite since it waters the taste a lot.
The good news is I also have a 9 month old keg of standard 8% Apfelwein tucked into a corner aging even more.
Edit: I can now understand all the hangover threads. It just tastes good and smooth and oddly refreshing that I end up taking large gulps instead of small drinks like normal. Too bad I have to work tonight, I could see myself drinking this all day. I must say though, the smell is still a bit off-putting (pre-Sprite, sprite tones the odor down imo) I think I'm going to have to make a few more kegs because I can see this becoming my nightly drink.
The good news is I also have a 9 month old keg of standard 8% Apfelwein tucked into a corner aging even more.
Edit: I can now understand all the hangover threads. It just tastes good and smooth and oddly refreshing that I end up taking large gulps instead of small drinks like normal. Too bad I have to work tonight, I could see myself drinking this all day. I must say though, the smell is still a bit off-putting (pre-Sprite, sprite tones the odor down imo) I think I'm going to have to make a few more kegs because I can see this becoming my nightly drink.
Semo
Well-Known Member
Thats a bummer to hear about the smell...thats part of the fun..
Semo
Well-Known Member
LOL....Must be smooth...
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
My 5 gallons have been fermenting in a Lowe's bucket for about 5 weeks now. I don't own a secondary to move it to. Should I go ahead and bottle or am I ok to leave it in the Lowe's bucket? If so (to Lowe's), how long is too long in this type of vessel?
Semo
Well-Known Member
Hey apologeticus...I remember you from RASOC!!!!!
I can't say for sure, but I've read that plastic will allow some O2 to infiltrate. How this will affect the "wien" i Don't know. I left mine in a Better Bottle for about 3 months, and now it's caronating in a keg. All I can say is it is evil. BEWARE. It probably woudn't hurt to bottle it if you are sure it's done fermenting.
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
haha, yep. I believe you have the same sig over there too, don't you?
wanna buy my tank? I need $$ for beer! (or brew supplies, really). I can't afford both of these hobbies!
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
yeah, the O2 issue was the main thing I was referring to. A better bottle is much thicker than a utility bucket I would imagine. maybe I should bottle...
Semo
Well-Known Member
haha, yep. I believe you have the same sig over there too, don't you?
wanna buy my tank? I need $$ for beer! (or brew supplies, really). I can't afford both of these hobbies!
Yeah..same sig...love beer.
Great Big NO on the tank. I practically gave my stuff away on craigslist
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
I don't know yet how it will turn out. Won't know for some time.
As far as using Lowe's (or the more common Home Depot "Homer") buckets for fermenting, you'll find it's a debated topic. I don't want to get into it here. search "home depot bucket" or "homer bucket" and you'll find more than you want to read about it.
my 2 cents: many are concerned about the red dye used in homer buckets, so to play it safe I went with a Lowe's bucket which is the same thing but gray in color. drill a 1/2" hole in the lid, insert grommet from LHBS for <$1, insert air lock and you have a fermenter. since apfelwein doesn't produce krausen there's no problem with filling the bucket to the top.
Only time well tell how well this works for me. maybe someone who's used one of these buckets for apfelwein will chime in...
Semo
Well-Known Member
Are those food safe? I'm new and that seems to be the only thing with buckets. My apfelwein is in a bucket that came with my kit. I have beer in my only 2 carboys. I actually like the buckets better for beer..
apologeticus
Well-Known Member
that's a big part of the debate about them, but we should probably keep that debate out of this already massive thread. search "home depot bucket" and you'll find plenty of info, pro and con.
Semo
Well-Known Member
Your right..keep it out here..I do have one I use for bottling, but its not in the bucket very long.
Shub
New Member
I have a question regarding air contamination.
I am on week 2 of my fermentation and the airlock has been bubbling away. Two days ago I noticed it just totally stopped. I assumed it was done fermenting. Upon further inspection I noticed the bung that I forced (very tight) into my plastic bottling bucket was too big and cracked the side of the hole for the bung. It is about 2 inches long and 1cm wide. Obviously air is going out and coming in through this hole. I just duct taped it up, but is my Apfelwein contaminated now?
Note: I have 6 gallons of apple juice in an 8gal bottling bucket, if that matters.
I am on week 2 of my fermentation and the airlock has been bubbling away. Two days ago I noticed it just totally stopped. I assumed it was done fermenting. Upon further inspection I noticed the bung that I forced (very tight) into my plastic bottling bucket was too big and cracked the side of the hole for the bung. It is about 2 inches long and 1cm wide. Obviously air is going out and coming in through this hole. I just duct taped it up, but is my Apfelwein contaminated now?
Note: I have 6 gallons of apple juice in an 8gal bottling bucket, if that matters.
